[Re-emergence of human African trypanosomiasis in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)].

BACKGROUND

The incidence of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) or sleeping sickness in Kinshasa has been increasing since 1996. The objectives of this study were first to identify the optimal levels of knowledge, and then to determine the risk factors for HAT in the city of Kinshasa.

METHODS

This case/control study was based on a structured questionnaire. Case-patients were detected and treated between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2005. Each case-patient was paired with two seronegative controls of the same age and sex, living in the same type of environment. The study included 437 case-patients and 874 controls.

RESULTS

The optimal level of knowledge defined by the list of elementary notions related to HAT was 44% for the case-patients and 37.0% for controls (p<0.0001). The majority of individuals (86.7%) was favorable to passive screening. The patients living in peripheral areas were more at risk than other groups, in rural areas (odds-ratio 12.1; 95% IC: 5.7-21.7), and remote areas (odds-ratio 8.9; 9% IC: 2.1-38.8). A family history of HAT (odds-ratio 12.9; 95% IC: 7.9-20.8), ignoring the transmission route (odds-ratio 11.2; 95% IC: 5.8-21.7), and the water supply in natural points (odds-ratio 6.9; 95% IC: 2.8-17.2) were also risk factors.

CONCLUSION

The results identified avoidable factors, which could be taken into account, to decrease the incidence of new contamination, the morbidity, and mortality of HAT.